Rail

Report: NJ Transit needs more flood protection

NEWARK, N.J. — In a report reviewing NJ Transit’s performance during Superstorm Sandy, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service found that the agency needs to develop better flood mapping and protection of critical facilities, according to the AP.

The report recommended portable or permanent flood barriers at facilities such as the Meadows Maintenance Complex, which suffered severe flooding during the storm in October 2012. The agency was criticized for not moving railcars and locomotives out of that facility as well as another one in Hoboken, resulting in more than $100 million in damage. For the full story, click here.

This contract includes high voltage cabling from the state grid for the new 16-mile metro line. Alstom is the main supplier of Kochi metro after it has been awarded previous orders for 25 Metropolis trainsets, signalling, telecom and electrification. Commercial service is scheduled to begin in March 2016.

The contract, which is for a ten-year period with the option to extend another 5 years, covers maintenance and spare parts on 74 four-car Class 357 ELECTROSTAR trains and is valued at approximately $213 million.

The train wreck, which occurred in the early morning of March 24, 2014, when the operator allegedly fell asleep, injured more than 30 people and caused roughly $9 million in damage. The lead railcar had to be cut up to remove it from the escalator.